Fingerprints on the Mind

DRIVEN BY DESTINY

Romans 8:28-30

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

PREDESTINATION – To determine before time, a guarantee that faith will bring you to a place to experience the truth, thereby assuring that you are given an opportunity to choose between good and evil. To do this, God uses His foresight (the ability to see from the beginning to the end) and His foreknowledge (to know all things and have the ability to establish the end before the beginning). I was predestined for apostleship before the foundation of the world and called to preach the gospel before I knew my name or came forth from my mother’s womb. In spite of the knowledge of my call into ministry, I never knew what role I would play in this screenplay called destiny. I sometimes wonder how mankind has the audacity to think he is in control of his life as if he controls his fate based on the decisions he makes.

Let us take a closer look at this operation. As a child we were asked what career we were going to pursue when we grew older. Most of us chose a career based upon the dreams we dreamed. Thus, we went to school for years in order to accomplish our dream of becoming a doctor, lawyer, or maybe an architect. There are some who were successful in achieving these goals and there are some who eventually changed them. No matter what career you choose or what adventure you undertake there will be occasional pitfalls and failures. For example, doctors encounter ailments that they cannot cure, lawyers lose trials and architects are known to have designs and blueprints that they never complete. You see, naturally we are taught to plan for the future, but in our planning we never considered the possibility of spiritual interruptions. The plan that was put in action before we were born suddenly caused us to live in a way totally contrary to the plans that we had made for our lives.

Proverbs 19:21

21 Many are the devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of God that shall stand.

God decides who will play what role in our destiny. It is called predestination and works according to His foresight and His foreknowledge. God is faithful in orchestrating the events of our lives. He patiently waits for us to do all of our planning, then when we have experienced all of the setbacks and disappointments and are at our weakest point; He steps in to show us that we were never in control of our lives. Saints, it is important that we understand that there are only two spirits that operate in the world today: the Spirit of God, which is the Holy Ghost, and the spirit of Satan, which is iniquity, the spirit that works in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). This spirit causes them to do things they do not want to do. However, it seems that they are driven by a force that is much stronger than their wills.

THE IMAGINATION IS THE INCUBATOR FOR LUST

Lust is conceived in the heart. It is the offspring of the imagination. Lust is produced when the soul entertains darkness and allows it to form unlawful images in the heart. Wrong thinking produces the seed to fertilize the imagination. The seed can be a thought that came from the memory of sin which can originate from external influence or a simple suggestion from the devil. It can also result from mindsets we formed based on life's experiences.

Let us explore this further. Remember the spiritual interruptions that I mentioned earlier . . . the ones that were planned before we were born? As children, we experienced some negative circumstances, situations and relationships that we thought we had forgotten. We did not realize how they affected us or the mindsets that had been developed as a result of the influence we received. In actuality they were merely pushed aside or suppressed deep inside of our minds (imagination) waiting for the opportunity to be lived out. No matter how we tried to hide or bury these feelings and emotions that were produced, we realized that they had made some indelible fingerprints on our minds and therefore had become very much a part of us. The residue (the memory of sin) remains whether we recognize it or not, and if the individual does not receive a new heart and mind through the renewing of the Holy Ghost (salvation) those emotions will be expressed in one form or another. It is still there like an everlasting fingerprint left at the scene of the crime. This is the negative mindset that has been developed as a result of the experiences of our life.

WHAT CRIME WAS COMMITTED?

There are some children who grew up in homes where there was much abuse: spousal abuse or sibling rebellion, wherein a daughter, for example, may have done things like sneak boys into the house while the parents were away or asleep. Some children were exposed to drugs at a young age and they also became drug abusers, smoking weed (marijuana) or crack cocaine. As the child experiences all these different things they are not always able to make the right judgement as to the right and wrong in these experiences. Therefore, negative mindsets and damaged emotions are developed at an early age. The child sees what the parents do and allow as acceptable, or that a particular lifestyle is “just the way things are.” The devil starts to carve paths that are contrary to the will of God for the child’s life. I think that David said it best in Psalm 51:5 when he said, “I was shaped in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

We agree that we were born in sin due to the fall of Adam and were shaped by iniquity (the character of Satan) because of the presence of the evil seed from childhood. The devil did his work so well we did not detect the magnitude of the effect that his evil influence had on us until later on in our lives when it began to surface in our character. Mindsets were formed that came directly from the memory of the past, whether directly (things that you actually lived out in the flesh or indirectly (something that you may have watched others do). This is why it is so important that we think on righteous things to keep our conversations holy.

Philippians 1:27

27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Every time we entertain an unholy conversation or watch a movie that is obviously unholy, we allow our souls to entertain darkness. which is grievous to the Holy Ghost. If we push past the conviction of the Holy Ghost and give over our minds to thinking on these things, then the thoughts will produce unlawful imaginations. The imagination is one of the functions of the heart. It is the place where thoughts are housed for further consideration. Jesus said if a man looks upon a woman to lust after her, he has already sinned in his heart (St. Matthew 5:28).

The imagination is capable of creating endless possibilities. It manufactures plans and desires that become pre-lived operations of the flesh. It is an incubator for thoughts. It holds, protects and nurtures them until they are mature enough to become life. However, sons of God have the power to cast down evil imaginations and to walk in the mind of Christ at all times. Our minds have been renewed by the power of the Holy Ghost.

DAMAGED EMOTIONS AND PERVERSION

Emotions are specific strong feelings such as love, hate, fear and anger. They are feelings produced by either the receiving of or the lack of affection. In other words, affections are those natural desires of the flesh such as love, touch, kindness and consideration. When there is a supply of these natural inborn desires of the flesh, the emotions are usually affected in a positive way. However, when there is abuse or a simple lack of love, touch and kindness, usually there is a negative effect on the soul. This negative effect is called a damaged emotion. A damaged emotion is created by the effect of abuse or lack of natural affection, which determines itself to be as equal in value, as it pertains to the satisfying of the flesh.

Perversion is an addiction that starts at an early age. It is not something that suddenly overtakes you without warning. It is a pimping process. For example, a little boy may be exposed to sex at a young age, maybe by listening at the door while two people are making love or looking through a cracked door while their parents are expressing their feelings for one another. When this happens the work of the enemy immediately begins to work in the child’s mind. There may not be a ready and available outlet for these feelings to be expressed, and in some cases, must do battle with the innate love for parents. Because there is no one to interpret these emotions for the child, the emotions become damaged or defiled with resentment which I refer to this operation as a pimping process. I must admit here that I was surprised to see the definition that Webster’s Dictionary gave for ‘pimp’: Pimp: a prostitute’s agent (Webster's Dictionary).

A pimp is also one who preys on the weaknesses of others; a controller who uses his influence in a person’s life in order to seduce them into fulfilling his lustful desires. The objective of the pimp is to turn women into prostitutes. They start out by courting and romancing them. They pretend to be potential long-term boyfriends. They are able to seduce the women by wining, dining and lavishing them with nice expensive things. In order for her to remain acceptable with him she has to do whatever he asks her to do without any questions. By now she is hooked on the idea of being with him. Therefore, there is no threat of her leaving him. First, he may introduce her to drinking alcohol, then smoking and finally heroin or crack cocaine.

Now she belongs to him and like a slave she does not even entertain the idea of ever being separated from him. The drugs and alcohol he supplies her with become the chain that binds her to him. Smoothly he slips the drugs and alcohol to her like candy. She does not even realize that her dependency on the drugs will become so strong that she will do anything to support the addiction. He has seduced her. Satan is always available to provide you with an outlet and the means to feed your addiction. The devil is the best pimp of them all and one of the meanings of his name is deceiver. He pimps us while we are young and impressionable. He will use the opinions of the crowds we hang with in order to pimp us.

I remember when we were in kindergarten we played a game where the boys had to catch the girls. When they caught them they would touch and caress or what we would call “hunch” them. To clarify the word hunch: The boys would get on top of the girls while they still had their clothes on and would pretend to be engaged in sexual activity. This all took place on the playground. The devil was working on the mind even then. The mindset produced in the minds of the boys is that it is acceptable to chase, throw down and touch the private places of little girls regardless of their kicking, screaming and scratching to get away. It did not matter if the girls did not like it because the rules of the game were . . . if he catches the girl, he can violate her. Damaged emotions produce a new mindset called perversion. The perversion will in turn produce inordinate affections or a craving for unnatural affections. Many times, it is the inordinate affections that are considered to be love. Oftentimes, the terminology, “I Love You” means, “I want You this way”. And because this person may be accommodated, habit or appetite is often formed. This appetite is not normal and is not accepted by God. Yet, it is what is considered to be love. The word pervert means to change the meaning of, to corrupt, misuse or debase.

The devil fingerprints this rule in the minds of the boys and what you have is a future rapist with no regard for women. The devil strategically creates a man who enjoys chasing, wrestling and taking advantage of women while they are kicking, screaming and scratching. As you can see, this is only part of the pimping process of the devil. This same little boy has played this game for so long that he now prefers this forceful type of behavior with girls because the rules allow him to have power over her.

As this boy grows into an adult he acquires the appetite of a rapist. Although he knows that rape is wrong he is driven by the craving and thirst for it. The devil has hooked him on rape (sexual perversion) just as the pimp hooks women on drugs and alcohol to turn them into addicts and prostitutes. The boy does not want to be a rapist any more than the woman wants to engage in prostitution, but once you are hooked, the perversion is stronger than the will to stop. It is not easy to come out of this captivity because what was once a negative mindset has now become a stronghold in the imagination and you begin to prefer this type of perverted behavior.

I am reminded of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. The city was known for its perversion. Men were sleeping with men and women were even lying with animals. The people in that city were doing every type of sin imaginable. Yet in spite of the sin that was there, God’s warning to destroy the city and His instruction to not look back, Lot’s wife turned to take one last look. As a result, she lost her life. She had to have known of the sin in the city, but apparently something called out to her and told her to turn around. You see, just like some of us, she did not see coming out of sin as matter of life or death (Genesis 19:26).

God has provided a way of escape from sin for us just as He provided a way out of perversion for Lot and his family. This way is through walking in the spirit; reckoning yourself as dead and yielding to the life of Christ that has now become yours. It is embracing the knowledge that you have the mind of Christ, that old things are passed away and all things are now made new.

We have to come to the place where we hate sin and its effect on us and others. The Word is the only thing that can cause us to hate sin and the perversion it produces. When the Word is preached under an anointing it will break and destroy the yokes of perversion. Do not be deceived. While the Word is working to bring us to a place where we will hate the very appearance of the sin, the devil is right there with reminders of the pleasures of the sin and will introduce us to new ones. He is working against us to cause us to hate the Word of God because of the restraints it puts on the flesh.

Perversion produces rapists, serial killers, homosexuals, lesbians, molesters, and so on, but they do not start out that way. Parents, you need to take inventory of your house. While you are at church and your children are at home, is the devil pimping your son or daughter? Is he carving out himself a rapist, murderer or addict? Believe me, the pimping process begins with television, songs on the radio, games, conversations and relationships at school, and even through some of the things being taught by their teachers. If you are a parent you must stop the pimping process in your child’s life by keeping them in church so they will be under the influence of the Word. You may try to have Bible study at home. Mothers, fathers, you are in a fight for your child’s life! The fight is not confined to whether or not your child goes to heaven or hell, but for the life he or she is living right now! Perversion is heartless and the people engaged in it seem heartless also, but that is not always true. The person may still feel remorse but the addiction is stronger than their will, just as a drug addict who is ‘strung out’ on cocaine oftentimes steals from their loved ones to support their addiction. The addict feels guilty, but cannot help himself. Thank God that we who have the Holy Ghost do not have to be overcome by perversion. But even with the Holy Ghost we have to agree with the new man and yield ourselves to the Word. You see, only God can bring a person out of perversion, but that individual has to come to a point of hating the sin and its effect on others before deliverance can take place.

Romans 6:12-13

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

It is our responsibility to come into agreement with the Word by yielding our members to it. The power of the Word will enable us to overcome perversion or any other stronghold in our lives.

Romans 6:14

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Grace: God’s influence in the heart, making an indelible impression that is reflected in the life. The only thing that will keep you from yielding to perversion is to live according to the Word. I remember walking into the room of one of my young male relatives and he had a picture of a female rap singer wearing a little miniskirt with her leg propped up showing under her dress. He is probably not interested in her music but the picture caught his eye so he pinned it to his wall. Everyday he walks into his room there is no doubt he imagines seeing what is really under her dress.

The devil is pimping him into perversion! Recently, his mother told me he was on punishment for watching X-rated movies but a picture of the female rap singer is still on the wall, but this is a Christian home! Punishment alone will not stop perversion. Punishment is natural and temporal but perversion is spiritual. Taking away the telephone for a week will not get rid of perversion. The Word of God is the only thing that can purge the soul of perversion. However, there are some things we must do in the natural.

As Christians, we should not entertain certain pictures, CD’s, videos, and even certain clothing in our homes. Parents think they know their kids. There are many children who confide in me because they feel that they can trust me. Parents, can you say the same? Does your child confide in you or are they just telling you what they think you want to hear? Mothers, do you think your daughter is going to voluntarily tell you that she is sexually active? If she does tell you that she is no longer a virgin, do you think she is going to tell you who, how many times or how many guys she has engaged in sex with? The same thing applies for boys!

Today, young people are doing things that would shock their parents. Sex is in style and never goes out of style, but it is not for kids, or for those who are not married. Boys become whorish and girls likewise. In conclusion, if you are being troubled with perverted thoughts you must fight to destroy the strongholds of the mind. These strongholds are formed by the imagination accepting these thoughts as worthy to be entertained. The mind must be fed suggestions from somewhere in order for the imagination to function. As I said earlier, some of the greatest areas of influence the devil will use to stimulate the mind are television, magazines, movies or unholy conversation. This is the part that the brain or fleshy mind plays in the operation of sin. It provides a holding place for the suggestions that are fed to the mind. If there is not a constant feeding of the Word of God to the mind, there is no way you are going to be able to think righteously.

Philippians 4:8

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

To set your affections on things above means to expect God to fill every void in your life, to receive satisfaction for all the needs of the flesh from God the Father. You must learn to love righteousness.

THIS WILL ONLY COME BY HEARING THE WORD OF GOD AND OBEYING IT. To the parent : I hope that this lesson has informed you of some of the devices that the devil uses to distract and to move the young people off-course and out of the will of God. To the young: I pray that this has been both informative and encouraging to you.

1 John 2:15-16

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but is of the world.

There is no new thing under the sun, or in the world. Submit your mind to the Word of God. It is your only hope for deliverance. I love you, Mike T.